Connected cars: more in sync than ever before

Cars go digital: you can now stream your favourite music, dictate, and send e-mails using the intelligent voice assistant, while the large screens of your infotainment systems display information about traffic congestion and the availability of fast-charging stations in real-time. There is no doubt that the mobile internet has entered the car. Manufacturers are now taking the next step and elevating connectivity to a new level. (Image: Getty Images)

Here, we sum up the status quo of connected cars and show

that vehicles are already sharing data,
the comfort and safety features made possible by increasing connectivity, and
that the EU has established a 'common language' for connected cars.

Hello, do you understand me? Cars need to be able to communicate with each other to drive fully autonomously in the future. Connected cars that can drive fully autonomously from A to B are still a pipe dream. But cars are already talking to each other today – sending a wide range of information back and forth via mobile communications.

Always online on the go

The idea is compelling: connected cars increase comfort for drivers and passengers, as well as safety on board and on the road. In an ideal scenario, the combination of several sensors in today's vehicles is capable of perceiving more than human sensory organs and thus recognising dangers earlier than drivers – especially if they are inattentive for a split second. This calculation improves even further if your own car's technology, as well as the technology of the vehicle ahead or crossing, can be used as a source of data. New possibilities for digital security systems and online services of all kinds become possible when as many cars as possible are connected.

For some years, the eCall automatic emergency call system has offered a foretaste of the future realities of connected cars: if occupants are not capable of calling for help themselves after an accident, it can independently do this for them. Since 31 March 2018, eCall has been mandatory for new cars in the European Union. A SIM card permanently installed in the vehicle is a technical requirement of the system. The access this provides to the mobile communications network can be considered as a kind of door-opener into the world of Connected cars: transforming every new car into a four-wheeled smartphone.

Local alerts

The logical next step towards even greater connectivity is now to inform the traffic behind as early as possible of the accident location, as well as make an emergency call. To do this, the vehicle would have to notify the other cars of the danger by mobile communications signal. This exemplary scenario of connected mobility is a reality today and just an insight into the year 2050: so-called Car2X communication enables cars to share traffic-related information in their surroundings with other vehicles (and the transport infrastructure).

ID. models and the Volkswagen Golf 8, for example, communicate with each other over a range of 800 metres and in milliseconds. Thanks to their numerous sensors, electric cars can detect potential dangers at an early stage – and automatically warn other nearby vehicles by a Wi-Fi radio signal. Anticipatory driving has a whole new meaning thanks to the digital transfer of data.

En route to mass location data

Many car manufacturers, suppliers, and start-ups already offer technologies for connected cars. The range of digital solutions is reminiscent of the range of smartphone apps. It will make driving even more comfortable, safer, and more entertaining. Digital connectivity is no longer a vision, it has already become a reality. Volkswagen is now a pioneer with its Car2X service – with a technology that uses the principle of mass location data intelligence, and becomes better and better the more participants are involved.

The data that cars share is either sent by the mobile communication network to the cloud or by Wi-Fi directly to the surrounding area. A 'common language' is considered an essential prerequisite for Car2X communication to be rolled out across countries. Traffic lights or construction site warning signs could also use comparable control units to those in cars: Car2X includes both vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication and the sharing of information with the infrastructure (vehicle-to-infrastructure, or V2I).

A harmonised and standardised cross-manufacturer frequency range for intelligent transport systems (WLANp /ITS G5) within the European Union is intended to facilitate the transfer of information between cars of all makes and the infrastructure of all EU countries. As the 5G infrastructure is still under construction in most countries, Volkswagen uses an electronic control unit with Wi-Fi functionality in its current models.

In future, fast 5G networks will play an important role in-car connectivity. The so-called latency time (reaction time) could then be less than a millisecond. This is particularly important for autonomous vehicles to prevent accidents.

New software via "Over-the-Air" updates

Connected cars offer further benefits – over their entire lifecycle. The ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5 electric vehicles can already do what many other electric cars will only be able to do in the future: receive new features and in-depth technical updates by Wi-Fi or mobile communications network. So-called 'Over-the-Air' updates ensure customers' vehicles are always up to date. As well as improving software performance, the updates may also include new features and customisation options.

The latest update to ID.Software2.3 requires access to the 'We Connect ID. app'. Your ID. model also needs to have ID.Software2.1 installed. If this is the case, you will need to perform the following steps (if you already have the We Connect ID. app installed and have a valid We Connect Start contract, you can skip the first steps and start with step 4.):

Download the We Connect ID. app free onto your smartphone. Depending on your operating system, you can download the Connect ID. app for Android or iOS from the App Store or the Google Play Store.
Log in to the app with your Volkswagen ID and add your vehicle.
Activate your We Connect Start contract. To do this, follow the instructions on the app.
Available updates are automatically downloaded as you drive when your ID. is in online mode.
Select the available update once you have stopped the vehicle. You can find details about the content of the update under 'More information'.
You cannot charge your ID. while installing Over-the-Air updates. Therefore, please ensure that you have a minimum charge of 50% and then disconnect the charging connector. Start installing the update. This may take some time depending on the size of the update. Before starting the installation, your ID. will display any further conditions that need to be met (e.g. closing the windows) in the infotainment system. The update will start once you have left and locked your vehicle.
You cannot use or charge your ID. while the update is being installed.
Your ID. will connect to the internet to complete the installation.